Intensive care unit nurses' evaluation of simulation used for team training

AIM: To implement a simulation-based team training programme and to investigate intensive care nurses' evaluations of simulation used for team training. BACKGROUND: Simulation-based training is recommended to make health care professionals aware of and understand the importance of teamwork related to patient safety. DESIGN: The study was based on a questionnaire evaluation design. METHODS: A total of 63 registered nurses were recruited: 53 from seven intensive care units in four hospitals in one hospital trust and 10 from an intensive care postgraduate education programme. After conducting a simulation-based team training programme with two scenarios related to emergency situations in the intensive care, the participants evaluated each simulation activity with regard to: (i) outcome of satisfaction and self-confidence in learning, (ii) implementation of educational practice and (iii) simulation design/development. RESULT: Intensive care nurses were highly satisfied with their simulation-based learning, and they were mostly in agreement with the statements about self-confidence in learning. They were generally positive in their evaluation of the implementation of the educational practice and the simulation design/development. Significant differences were found with regard to scenario roles, prior simulation experience and area of intensive care practice. CONCLUSION: The study indicates a positive reception of a simulation-based programme with regard to team training in emergency situations in an intensive care unit. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The findings may motivate and facilitate the use of simulation for team training to promote patient safety in intensive care and provide educators with support to develop and improve simulation-based training programmes.